Ipdprovement in railway rails



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G EORG E W. N. YOST;

Improvement in Railway Rails.

Patented April 9, 11872.

Wwf/estres GEORGE w. N. Yosr. Improvement inn .-Railwfay Rails.

Patented April 9,1872.

NrrE

1 TENT EFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY RAILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,426, dated April 9, 1872.

` ence being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view; Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical sectional view; Fig. 3 a transverse sectional view; Fig. et an end view; and Fig. 5 an enlarged full-sized transverse vertical sectional view.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in-all the figures.

The invention consists in combining a strong continuous wooden rail with, and nearly inclosed by, a hollowmetallic rail, whose metallic lian ges or feet are spiked directly to a series of cross-ties or sleepers; in combining a metallic saddle with the wooden and metallic rails, arranged over the wooden rail and within the hollow metallic rail at each joint of such metallic rail, and extending to and resting upon the coupling-stirrup; and in combining a beveled bottom surface of a wooden rail arranged within a hollowmetallic rail with a correspondingly beveled inner top surface of a coupling-stirrup,n in such manner as to extend the middle ofthe bottom of a wooden rail slightly below the anges or feet of the inclosing metallic rail, so that the metallic rail shall bear and rest on the wooden rail, and not entirely on such ilanges or feet.

In the drawing, A indicates a hollow metallic rail; B is a strong continuous wooden rail; C, a metallic saddle; D, a series of clamps or stirrup-blocks; E, a series of coupling screwbolts; and F, a series of cross-ties or sleepers. a is a horizontal longitudinal ilange or foot'on the bottom of each fork or leg of the hollow metallic rail A; b, a beveled surface, beveled outwardly and upwardly from near the middle on each side of the bottom of the wooden rail B. o is a beveled surface corresponding to the beveled surface b ofthe wooden rail B on the top ofthe inner part of each clamp or s'tirrupblock D. d indicates a lip, or catch, or hook,

projecting upwardly and over, and inwardly on the outer end of each stirrup-block D. d is Y a sleeve on, or a hole through, the bottom part of each stirrup-block D. eis a screw-nut on the screw end of each coupling-bolt E; and f is a spike lapping onto the ilange a of the hollow metallic rail A, and driven into each cross-tie or sleeper F.

The wooden rail B may be of any sound wood, but is better of oak, hickory, maple, or other hard wood and the timber, if seasoned, may be in its otherwise natural state, but is better if ironized, or otherwise prepared, so as to prevent swelling, shrinking, or rot. The top is rounded, and the top and sides dressed and smoothed so as to lit closely within the hollow metallic rail A. The hollow metallic rail A may be of iron or steel, and in consequence of the support of the wooden rail B within it, it may be very thin and light, and consequently very cheap.

The metallic saddle C is dropped into a recess iu the Wooden rail B fitted to receive it, and prevents the ends of the hollow metallic rail A at the joint from brooming the wooden rail under and within; and by extendingI down and resting on the coupling-stirrup under the joint, it makes a firm, unyielding fish-plate, and thus the joint of the wooden rail, being under and within a solid part of a hollow metallic rail, the combined rail is practically as irm and continuous as if made without joints.. The coupling-stirrup D E is composed of two stir rup-blocks, D, and a couplin g-bolt, E, the combined length of which stirrup-blocks is a little less than the width of the bottom of the hol low metallic rail A, so that when drawn tightly to gether by the couplin g-bolt the stirrnp-blocks will press the sides of the hollow metallic rail closely and solidly against the wooden rail between; and the beveled surface b c of the wooden rail and stirrup-blocks, meeting conversely, makes the coupling-stirrup act as a wedge, and forces the wooden rail tightly and solidly up into the hollow of the metallic rail. The wooden rail B, of itself, is intended to be stout enough to support the heaviest engine; but, covered with the hollow iron or steel rail A, the combined rail is both lighter and stoutcr than any railway rail in use, or known in the trade. And not only is it lighter and stouter,

but it is cheaper than any other in use. Besides, wood being quite elastic-more elastic than any other substance of the same strength and stiffnessand the middle of the bottom of the wooden rail B extending slightly below the hollow metallic rail A and resting on the wooden sleepers F, so that the metallic rail bears and rests on the wooden rail, and the metallic rail being so light, the combined rail is almost as elastic as an entirely wooden raila great advantage and saving in the lamination otl wheels, axles, and general rolling stock, and in the ease and stillness of riding.

Another and crowning beneit of the invention is its safety. The hollow U-form shape of the metallic rail A gives the greatest possible bearing strength to any given weight ot' rail, and, of itself, is not easily broken; and the stout, stiff', elastic wooden rail cushion or packing B under and within it, renders the breaking ofthe combined rail almost impossible. But if the hollow metallic part ofthe rail should break, it cannot get displaced; its very shape and nature will keep it over and on the wooden part; or even if a piece so break as to be thrown off, the stili, stout wooden part still remainsto keep the track intact and cars and trains in place till trackmen nd and repair the damage.

Having now described my invention, what I. claim as new, and-desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A continuous wooden rail, fitting within and inclosed by a hollow arched or U-shaped metallic rail, provided with feet or flanges adapted to be spiked directly to the ties or sleepers, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the wooden rail and the hollow Ushaped rail, as described, of an arched or U-shape saddle, located at the joints ofthe metallic rail and extending down tothe bottom of the wooden rail and resting upon the stirrup or clamp, as described.

3. The combination of the continuons wooden rail, the inclosin g arched or U-shaped lnetallic rail, the U-shaped intervening saddle, and the clamp or stirrup arranged for joint operation, as described.

4. The combination of a beveled bottom surface of a Wooden rail within a hollow metallic rail with a beveled top surface of a couplingstirrnp, substantially as described.

Y G. W. N. YOST.

Witnesses E. K. CoLLINss, M. G. HUBBARD. 

